Tag: Chael Sonnen

UFC 136: Brian Stann on Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva and Jones vs. Evans

Brian Stann is only one fight away. Should Brian Stann defeat Chael Sonnen this coming Saturday at UFC 136 in Houston, he will be the next man up for the UFC middleweight championship held by Anderson Silva. Silva also happens to be the longest reignin…

Brian Stann is only one fight away.

Should Brian Stann defeat Chael Sonnen this coming Saturday at UFC 136 in Houston, he will be the next man up for the UFC middleweight championship held by Anderson Silva.

Silva also happens to be the longest reigning titleholder in UFC history.

“We’re all in this to be champions,” Stann told Bleacher Report’s Gary Herman. “It’s amazing what he’s done. Anyone who can win that many fights consecutively in the UFC? It’s just incredible.”

Silva has won all 14 of his UFC fights. Silva’s most difficult fight was over Stann next’s opponent, Chael Sonnen.

Unlike the Sonnen vs. Silva build-up, Sonnen has shown admiration for Stann. Stann is also a fan of Sonnen’s.

As a result, Sonnen did not use his sharp wit to help build the matchup. Sonnen publicly said that Stann would not be his first choice of opponents but that the two have to fight because of their standing near the top of the UFC middleweight division.

Stann will not let that respect get in the way of his MMA goals.

“No, it’s a competition” Stann said, when asked if it is more difficult to fight someone he knows well. “I don’t want to have to fight any of my friends, but it’s a competition. It has nothing to do with what kind of person they are.”

 

 

“It’s just like playing basketball with one another. You compete and then you become friends again after.”

Stann’s preparation for the Sonnen fight has taken place at Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, NM. Jackson’s MMA is the same place where light heavyweight Jon Jones and current No. 1 contender Rashad Evans first crossed paths.

Jones and Evans have developed a very public rivalry since Jones first stated that he would be willing to fight Evans. Evans was caught off guard, and in direct contrast to Stann’s views on fighting a friend, Evans was disappointed that his alleged friend Jones challenged him.

Evans has since left Jackson’s MMA, and he is now looking forward to the title fight with Jones.

“I’m friends with both guys,” Stann said of the two top light heavyweughts. “Without a doubt, I miss training with Rashad. In fact, he trained with my last opponent. It’s very unfortunate that it happened.”

Stann believes the media played a major role in the feud.

“I think so many people wanted that fight to happen,” Stann said. “Many people were interviewing Jon Jones about Rashad. It created a situation.”

Like Jones, Stann has shown tremendous progression in his MMA career. Starting as a light heavyweight in the UFC, Stann had a pedestrian 2-2 record. However, since dropping to middleweight, Stann is 3-0, with all stoppages.

Stann believes Jackson’s MMA is responsible for a lot of the growth.

“Now, I really feel comfortable with these skills that I’ve learned over the past few years,” Stann said. “I can fight at a much faster pace because I’m not thinking so much while I’m in there.”

Stann will need to have a lot of confidence in order to be successful in the fight. He is currently listed as a +200 underdog to Sonnen.

“Everything is the best it’s been as far as my technique so I’m ready to fight,” Stann said. “It’s definitely my toughest test to date.”

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UFC 136 Fight Card: Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard, Predictions, Odds and News

UFC 136 will feature the long-awaited third bout between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard.  Edgar and Maynard battled to a five-round draw on January 1, a decision that allowed Edgar to retain his UFC lightweight title and Maynard to remain unbeaten…

UFC 136 will feature the long-awaited third bout between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard.  Edgar and Maynard battled to a five-round draw on January 1, a decision that allowed Edgar to retain his UFC lightweight title and Maynard to remain unbeaten.

The main event from UFC 125 will go down as one of the best fights of 2011 and to think that Edgar and Maynard have the chance to go after it again in Houston, TX, should bring a smile to the face of even the most jaded, been there, seen every UFC pay-per-view since UFC 1 fan. 

In the opening stanza at UFC 125 Maynard put the champion to the ground on more than one occasion and absolutely battered him for almost the entire five-minute round. In the second round Edgar let Maynard, the only fighter to ever defeat him, know that he would not go gently into the Vegas night as he came back, punctuating his comeback with a powerful slam takedown near the end of the round.

The last three rounds were fairly evenly matched and alas, when the scores were read, the result was the dreaded draw, something both fighters will surely look to avoid when they face each other at the Toyota  Center.

A second UFC title fight will be the co-main event of the evening. Jose Aldo, a fighter that is widely recognized as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world will put his UFC featherweight title on the line against Kenny Florian. Florian, who has come up empty in two previous title defenses will be looking to see if the adage “the third time’s a charm,” will hold true for him.

Not only will fans get two title fights on October 8, but they will get to witness what may very well be a middleweight title fight eliminator, as top-ranked Chael Sonnen faces off against the surging Brian Stann.

Bleacher Report MMA will be your source for news, analysis and opinions on all the fights on the upcoming fight card.

Check back often as the fight card nears for all the UFC 136 information you need.

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UFC 136: Can Brian Stann Shut Up Motor Mouth Chael Sonnen?

Brian Stann is slated to throw down with Chael Sonnen at UFC 136, and in spite of Sonnen’s wrestling pedigree, I’m picking Stann to come out on top. Stann (11-3), a former Marine, can continue his ascent in the middleweight division if he c…

Brian Stann is slated to throw down with Chael Sonnen at UFC 136, and in spite of Sonnen’s wrestling pedigree, I’m picking Stann to come out on top.

Stann (11-3), a former Marine, can continue his ascent in the middleweight division if he can take care of business in several days time.

His reward if he were to defeat Sonnen (25-11-1) would either be a title eliminator bout with Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort or the even bigger reward, would be to challenge Anderson “The Spider” Silva for his middleweight title.

Much has been made of Sonnen’s wrestling skill set, and those plaudits are rightly justified—he’s an accomplished NCAA Division I grappler.

No one can forget the championship matchup Sonnen had with Silva—for four and a half rounds, Sonnen gave Silva all he could handle and then some.

However, as is the case with Sonnen, his submission defense is more or less non-existent—he was minutes away from championship glory when Silva locked in a triangle choke, and he was forced to tap out.  

The primary reason why Sonnen had the advantage over Silva was due to his wrestling ability and not a lot else.

Sonnen, I presume, will attempt to employ the same strategy against Stann when they meet.

It’s Stann’s job to avoid Sonnen’s take down attempts and keep the fight standing. If Stann can do that,  then he has every chance of winning the fight.

Of Stann’s 11 victories, eight have come by way of KO/TKO, three by decision and one via submission.

The last person to feel the steel of Stann’s fists was none other than the once thought of iron-chinned Chris “The Crippler” Leben. Stann put an end to that, finishing off Leben via TKO.

If there were any doubts about Stann’s punching prowess, those questions were answered emphatically at UFC 125.

The next opponent to fall at the hands of Stann was Jorge Santiago—TKO punches.

Now if the inevitable were to happen and Stann found himself on the canvas, the fight wouldn’t be dead and buried, not in a long shot.

Stann, a pupil at Greg Jackson’s gym, isn’t oblivious to submission fighting—this was evident when he submitted Mike Massenzio on his middleweight debut at UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko via triangle choke.

In actuality, Stann has a reasonable arsenal to bring to the Octagon this weekend.

Against the seasoned grappler Sonnen, I take Stann to win via KO/TKO.

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UFC 136: Why This Card Carries so Much Weight in the UFC

This Saturday, the UFC is putting on yet another double-header card that is stacked with great fighters from top to bottom.But this is not just another night of fights. This card brings some interesting perspective to the UFC divisions, and after the n…

This Saturday, the UFC is putting on yet another double-header card that is stacked with great fighters from top to bottom.

But this is not just another night of fights. This card brings some interesting perspective to the UFC divisions, and after the night is over, the UFC rankings and standings will have changed. 

With every fight card, there is always a shift in rankings, since one fighter moves closer to a title while the other doesn’t. UFC 136 is composed of many very significant fights that will seriously affect the course of their respective divisions. 

To start with the obvious, there are two titles on the line. The UFC Lightweight Championship and the UFC Featherweight Championship will be up for grabs on the same night. Gray Maynard, once again, will be coming to definitively win over Frankie Edgar, and Kenny Florian will attempt to steal the belt away from Jose Aldo. 

Frankie Edgar is the phenom that exploded onto the championship circuit with his two victories over former champion BJ Penn. The only man to have given him significant trouble was Gray Maynard. This is the third time they will meet and will be the final decision of who is the better fighter in the LW division. 

If Maynard wins, it brings a whole new dynamic to the division to have Frankie back in the hunt. It also brings about an 11-0 record for the challenger. If Edgar retains the title, he hands Gray his first loss of his career and begins moving into the upper echelon of the best in the world.

Now with Melendez coming over in the near future, an LW superfight may be in the works. With Melendez against Maynard, however, the hype isn’t as great. 

Jose Aldo has been put at around the No. 3 or 4 slots on the “pound-for-pound” lists for some time. He has defended his WEC in the past, and now the UFC belt once. He will try to add another win to his championship run. The fight makes for a better statement for Jose Aldo on the P4P lists if he rises victorious. 

The co-main event is much more significant for Kenny Florian, however. Kenny has notoriously been considered a “gatekeeper” in his fights at lightweight and most certainly doesn’t want to become one in his new weight class. 

With many other fighters at featherweight who are looking for their shot, a loss in yet another championship fight would be very difficult for Florian and his career.

If Florian wins, however, he pulls a huge upset and drops the young Brazilian from the top of the lists. 

Arguably just as anticipated as any other fight on this card (maybe even more), Chael Sonnen will be facing off against Brian Stann. This is the return of Sonnen since his loss to champion Anderson Silva in August of 2010.

One of the most called for rematches of all time is between Silva and Sonnen. Due to their last fight, many feel Sonnen is the best 185 lbs. shot at dethroning the P4P king, but his welcome-back party is hosted by one dangerous Marine. 

Brian Stann is in a very interesting situation, since if he wins against Sonnen, he himself becomes the forefront of title contention talks. If he loses, he will have to wait a while for the shot again. If Sonnen loses, he immediately loses his chance at his rematch against Silva. Many fans are cheering for Sonnen, not against Stann, because they want to see the rematch. 

If Sonnen wins, the media will instantly call for Silva vs. Sonnen II. 

On the rest of the card, you have great fighters like Melvin Guillard. Guillard is a fighter that has dominantly been making a statement for a title shot for some time now and is very deserving of it. If he wins against Joe Lauzon on Saturday, he undeniably makes his point. 

With a future addition of Melendez and other LWs already in the division, he may sit on the backburner a little while longer, though. If he loses, he most certainly will be in that spot. 

Nam Phan is on thin ice with this fight as well. He has lost two in a row so far, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that Phan will likely be gone by Monday if he loses. His opponent, Leonard Garcia, will be looking to show he definitively is the better of the two and avoid taking a second loss in a row. 

With the undercards, Demian Maia will be fighting to retain his relevance in the Middleweight division, and Jorge Santiago will be looking to bounce back from his loss to Brian Stann. Both need a win to stay in good terms with their division. 

Lastly, Anthony Pettis will be looking to re-establish his hype on Saturday. His loss to Clay Guida brought upon some tarnish to the shiny fame he had from his “Showtime” kick on Ben Henderson. His hype came quickly, prematurely to some, but wants to show that he isn’t a one-hit wonder. He will be looking to stop Jeremy Stephens’ two-fight winning streak and remake his image in the UFC. 

After the night is over, the different divisions featured on the card will have changed drastically. Each fighter mentioned is in a position where a win is not just another win, but a crucial part of their career paths. There will certainly be a great deal of media following UFC 136 and has the potential to give the MMA universe two new champions and the biggest Middleweight rematch of all time. 

 

Follow the @FightersCreed on Twitter!

 

Make your predictions below! 

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Classic Fight Video: Chael Sonnen Actually Submitted Somebody in 13 Seconds, Once

(Props: 4z4r3th via Willin. Fight starts at the 1:09 mark.)
In his 12 fights under the UFC and WEC banners, Chael Sonnen has won seven fights by unanimous decision and lost the rest by triangle choke or triangle/armbar. You have to respect that level …


(Props: 4z4r3th via Willin. Fight starts at the 1:09 mark.)

In his 12 fights under the UFC and WEC banners, Chael Sonnen has won seven fights by unanimous decision and lost the rest by triangle choke or triangle/armbar. You have to respect that level of consistency. But believe it or not, the mouthy middleweight also has ten stoppage victories on his record from appearances in non-Zuffa promotions.

Exhibit A: Sonnen once grappled the shit out of fellow WEC/UFC vet Tim McKenzie at a Bodog Fight event in February 2007, scoring a takedown and sinking a brabo choke in just 13 seconds. Even Royce Gracie himself was giving Chael props after the performance. (And hey, nice pull with that Asian girlfriend, buddy!)

Previously:
– Bizarro World Technique Video of the Day: Omoplata from Guard by Chael Sonnen
– MMA Video Tribute: Six Amazingly Rare Occurrences

UFC’s Chael Sonnen: "It’s Hard to Deny That Anderson Silva Is the Best"

Chael Sonnen has turned over a new leaf. The outspoken UFC middleweight contender has had a target on UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, as well as Silva’s teammates Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Lyoto Machida, since their title bout at UFC …

Chael Sonnen has turned over a new leaf. 

The outspoken UFC middleweight contender has had a target on UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, as well as Silva’s teammates Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Lyoto Machida, since their title bout at UFC 119 last year.

However, during a UFC 136 conference call, Sonnen was asked his opinion on the Brazilian’s status in mixed martial arts, and he was much more respectful and complimentary than usual.

“It’s getting harder and harder to deny that he should be shown that appreciation,” Sonnen said.

“His wins and losses speak for themselves and the fact of the matter, whether I’d like to admit it or not, is he’s done a better job than anybody,” he said. “He’s done a better job than me, and he is the champion.”

Despite losing to “The Spider,” Sonnen was able to dominate and outwork Silva more than any other opponent before him. The bout was so competitive that an immediate rematch seems inevitable. 

Sonnen is expected to face Brian Stann this weekend at UFC 136. That will likely determine the next challenger for Silva, and should Sonnen earn a victory, he will be rewarded with an anticipated rematch against the middleweight kingpin. 

And although he might have slightly changed his perspective on Silva’s accomplishments, he doesn’t intend on holding back in the ring.

“I think his skills are vastly different. I think I could come down a lot and still be ahead of him. I also think he ducks and dodges opponents constantly,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean that I’m gonna quit poking my finger in his chest. But, at some point, I think fairness needs to kick in too, and I think you need to look at what he’s done and tip your hat to him a little bit.”

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